relapse records

Initial Descent: September 3 – 9, 2017

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Helpless
Helpless

Hurricanes can suck it, we’ve had enough but there’s more to come. If you’re in the path of this damn thing get yourself out of harm’s way, it’s not worth trying to pull a Captain Dan. Harsh times call for harsh music and we have plenty of that on this edition of Initial Descent. Leading the way is the UK’s Helpless with their debut full length Debt and honestly this album took me completely by surprise with a brutal mix of grind, hardcore and noise — I can’t recommend this one enough. Next up is the absolutely dark and nasty funeral doom of Usnea‘s Portals into Futility, this band never cease to amaze with their level of utter desparity. Moving on and closing out the opening spots, we have another top shelf surprise with the extremely dark black metal of Biesy on their debut full length Noc Lekkich Obyczajów and honestly this is 42 minutes that will keep you GLUED to the speakers or headphones or whatever you choose to jam it on. But as usual that’s not all so read on to find more that will inevitably become favorites with us. Continue reading →

Album Review: Usnea – “Portals Into Futility”

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usnea portals into futility cover

Everybody has that list of bands that they swear they’re going to check out at some point, I just need time, I’m just busy with work, I swear I’ll get to them tomorrow, repeat ad infinitum.  One of the bands who sat at the top of my own such list for a good deal of time was Portland, OR’s Usnea.  I’m an absolute sucker for anything funeral doom, so it seems absurd that I had not given this band more than a casual glance yet.  Fortunately, I have a chance to fix that now that the band is set to release their new album, Portals Into Futility, next week.    Continue reading →

Initial Descent: July 16 – 22, 2017

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Sun of the Sleepless - Schwadorf
Sun Of the Sleepless (Schwadorf)

Another moment in time and another terrible loss with the tragic death of Chester Bennington (Linkin Park)…and another reason that if you know someone who is struggling reach out, without judgement, and do something…anything, you can to help. Our thoughts go out to family, friends, bandmates and everyone else affected by this.

This week here on Initial Descent we have much to explore but kicking things off is the black metal meets poetic beauty of To the Elements from Sun Of the Sleepless. Next up is the bone rattling death metal of Whore of Bethlehem on Extinguish the Light, more death metal follows from Decrepit Birth with Axis Mundi and rounding out the top slots this week is the darker yet slightly more punk infused Pillar of Fire from Tau Cross. But wait, there’s more to follow so keep reading and keep listening. Continue reading →

Initial Descent: July 9 – 15, 2017

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Expulsion
Expulsion – pic courtesy of Jay Valena

Alright so, I hope you took my advice last week and really listened to something you found. And, I hope you’ll do the same this week as we have much more to get into here on Initial Descent. We all have to have an outlet — a way to just bang it out, you know? And a way to escape and have a little fun from time to time. Well, we’ve got just the thing in our lead off spot with the full length debut, Nightmare Future, from the mega-super-group Expulsion — a raucous good time with members of Repulsion, Exhumed, Phobia and more, get it. Moving on is the split 12″, Procession of the Equinox, from the absolute masterminds of current folk/atmospheric black metal, Twilight Fauna and Evergreen Refuge — a monster of an album that is a must own. Next up is NZ’s Vesicant with their bombastic blackened death metal debut Shadows of Cleansing Iron and closing out the opening spots is Boris with Dear, this amazing band triumphantly returns with their personal brand of rock, drone and experimental soundscapes and again, a must own. So, we are already loaded for bear but as usual this isn’t even the tip of the iceberg — keep reading and keep listening… Continue reading →

Donuts & CANTO: Satyricon, Pelican, Today is the Day and more!

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satyricon band
Satyricon

July 13, 2017

Good morning, it’s time to metal. Here’s some news you might have missed from yesterday:

    • Leading off, Satyricon has revealed the title of its upcoming album: Deep Calleth Upon Deep. It’s the band’s ninth studio record, and will drop September 22 via Napalm Records. You can peep the cover art here.

Continue reading →